American Ninja Warrior Season 10 2018: Los Angeles California City Qualifiers Season X Episode 2
It’s time for week 2 of qualifying at American Ninja Warrior. Also, this is the annual movie themed episode with the cast of the new Jurassic Park movie expected to play a big role in presenting tonight’s action.
Here’s a breakdown of the format:
-Competitors will be timed attempting to complete six obstacles. Each competitor that completes the course automatically moves onto the city finals. Competitors can also advance if they have the best time of the competitors who completed the same number of obstacles. The thirty best finishers plus the five best female finishers will advance to the city finals.
Here’s the obstacle list for the Season 10 Los Angeles California City Qualifier course: Floating Steps, Jumper Cables (new obstacle), Spinning Bridge, Sky Hooks, Doorknob Drop (new obstacle), Warped Wall.
-And NEW THIS SEASON, there are two Warped Walls: the regular 14.5 foot tall version and an 18 foot tall version. Competitors that make it up the 18 foot wall get $10,000. But competitors will only get one shot on the 14 foot wall if they try for the $10,000.
Also, tonight is JURASSIC WORLD NIGHT!!! Chris Pratt (love Christ Pratt, but anybody else finding it hard not to be bitter about his role in Infinity War???) and Bryce Dallas Howard are here. We’ll see if they have anything to offer other than promotional material.
Zhanique Lovett, 31 year old Personal Trainer
We’re kicking off the night with a big name, for once. Lovett was a star rookie last season.
It was a struggle to finish Floating Steps, but Lovett held on to finish the first obstacle.
As she completed Jumper Cables, I’m reminded that Lovett is the ninja with the cartwheeling son.
Lovett nearly lost herself on Sky Hooks, but she was able to avoid what would have been a costly false start. Instead, she stuck the landing and moved on to the next to last obstacle.
Unfortunately, Lovett was unable to hold on when the first panel of Doorknob Drop, well, dropped.
During the break…
Dennis Ruelas (and acting teacher) made a dramatic entrance and exit, falling on Falling Steps.
Sara Mudallal made it past the first obstacle but was unable to get past Jumper Cables.
Austin Seibert put together a great run, making it all the way to Doorknob Drop before falling.
Ruben Arellano, 24 year old Real Estate Agent
Ruben’s grandmother is there to cheer on her grandson.
After a struggle with the landing on Floating Steps, Ruben made quick work of both the Jumper Cables and Spinning Bridge.
On Sky Hooks, Ruben looked like he was about to run out of momentum and fall. But instead, he caught a second wind and completed the obstacle.
But like the rest of the competitors so far, Ruben fell on Doorknob Drop.
Thomas Kofron, 30 year old Firefighter
Kofron saved his parent’s house during the Wildfires that roared in California last year.
Kofron moved quickly through the first three obstacles, completing them in under a minute.
The firefighter nearly got hung up on Sky Hooks, but he held on and completed it.
Then, Kofron became the first competitor of the night to complete the Doorknob Drop.
The rookie wisely avoided the 18 foot wall, making it up the regular Warped Wall to become the night’s first finisher.
Thomas Kofron completed the course in 3:10.56.
During the break…
Bijan Nowroozian, the host of a ninja podcast, could only make it to the 2nd obstacle.
Nicole Hatcher looked to have Jumper Cables complete. But she slipped and fell on the landing.
And Derek Miyamoto made it all the way to the final Doorknob on Doorknob Drop before falling.
Kevin Bull, 33 year old Gym Manager
Bull is a step above most competitors and it shows as he was halfway through the course in just 20 seconds.
And the man who’s never failed a qualifying course was well on his way until he ran into Doorknob Drop.
Bull’s hand slipped on the last doorknob of the fifth obstacle, ending his run.
Before the break…
Jake Dyke fell on Jumper Cables.
Christine Ahn fell on the Spinning Bridge.
Gabe Hurtado and Anthony Trucks both fell on the night’s Achilles Heel, Doorknob Drop.
After the break…
Eric Small, trainer to the stars, couldn’t make it past the first obstacle.
Ryan Arroyo fell on Sky Hooks.
Westley Silvestri survived an attack by a raptor before the start of his run. Then, much like the rest of the competitors save one, Silvestri fell on Doorknob Drop.
Sean Bryan, 32 year old Catholic Church Worker
We join the “Papal Ninja’s” run already in progress.
Why are we getting a truncated version of Bryan’s run?
He made it all the way to the Warped Wall and decided to take a shot at $10,000.
He came up well short of 18 feet, but Bryan had no issues with the normal wall and hitting the buzzer.
Sean Bryan completed the course in 3:56.84.
Tiana Webberley, 26 year old Waitress
Webberley competing on ANW has inspired her mom to exercise so she can overcome her diabetes.
“Sweet T” moved quickly through the first three obstacles.
After completing Sky Hooks, Webberly was faced with the fifth obstacle, the stage in the course she’s never gotten past.
And she made it all the way to the end of Doorknob Drop, but “Sweet T” fell on the last knobs of Doorknob Drop.
Grant McCartney, 29 year old Flight Attendant
The “Island Ninja” has been spending time in Knoxville (Tennessee representing!!!!!) with his half- brother. They’ve experienced the loss of both their mother and grandmother recently.
McCartney danced his way through the first half of the course in less than a minute.
The “Island Ninja” took a very deliberate approach to the rest of the course, and it looked like it would pay off as McCartney made it all the way to the mat on Doorknob Drop.
Unfortunately, his foot touched the water, ending his run.
During the break…
Jesus Pacheco fell at Jumper Cables (and not in the water either).
Nikkilette Wright fell at Spinning Bridge.
Nicholas Coolridge became the night’s third finisher.
Cody Johnston, 42 year old Anesthesiologist
Johnston lost both his mom and grandmother to smoking. He runs wearing a shirt that says “Ninjas Against Smoking.”
Johnston made quick work of the first three obstacles.
Then, he finished with the superhero landing on Sky Hooks.
Johnston took three swings on the first panel of Doorknob Drop. But he slipped and fell on the third attempt.
During the break…
Brandon Dodson fell on the Spinning Bridge.
Brandon Peav couldn’t make it past Jumper Cables.
Samantha Bush fell on Sky Hooks.
Selena Laniel, 43 year old Firefighter
Laniel made it through the Floating Steps after one miss with the rope.
However, she made quick work of the Jumper Cables and Spinning Bridge.
Laniel has never made it past the fourth obstacle.
Until now…
With her daughters cheering her on, Laniel made it past Sky Hooks, setting a new personal best.
But the oldest female ever to compete on the fifth obstacle ran out of reach on the first panel of Doorknob Drop and fell.
I was wondering earlier if Pratt and Howard would provide us with any insightful commentary.
They would not. We are seeing them for the first time since the start of the show (1 hour, 25 minutes in) to introduce an exclusive preview of “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.”
During the break…
Brock Taylor fell, like everyone else, on Doorknob Drop.
Josh Levin (another big name getting truncated treatment) finished another course, becoming the night’s fourth finisher.
Anna Shumaker secured a spot in the city finals after she fell at the end of Doorknob Drop.
Natalie Duran, 26 year old YouTube Personality
All Duran had to do to qualify for City Finals was make it past the Sky Hooks.
But shockingly, she fell on Jumper Cables, likely ending her season prematurely.
Nick Hanson, 30 year old Coach
Watching Hanson build a course out in the middle of nowhere Alaska made me feel much less manly.
The “Eskimo Ninja” moved quickly through the first two obstacles.
Hanson looked like he was floating across the Spinning Bridge.
And with the chants of “Eskimo” reverberating behind him, the “Eskimo Ninja” joined the select few who’ve completed Doorknob Drop tonight.
Now, could Hanson make it up the MegaWall?
Yes he could!!! In fact, he made it up with inches the spare as Hanson became the 2nd man to collect $10,000 this season.
Nick Hanson completes the course in 5:07.97.
Flip Rodriguez, 28 year old Stuntman
Flip made quick work of the first three obstacles.
Flip avoided near disaster after he nearly missed the first hook on Sky Hooks.
However, he would fight through it, completing the fourth obstacle.
And Flip looked good on the back end of Doorknob Drop, but he could not hold on as the 2nd panel dropped.
Brian Rambo, 38 year old Life Insurance Salesman
A guy with the name “Rambo” is a life insurance salesman who has an urban garden in his backyard?
The 38 year old rookie looked like a veteran moving through the first three obstacles.
Rambo completed Sky Hooks with only 50 seconds gone on the clock, guaranteeing himself a spot in the City Finals.
The rookie outdid many veterans as he completed the Doorknob Drop.
And when Rambo made it up the Warped Wall and hit the buzzer, he did so with the night’s fastest time.
Brian Rambo completes the course in 2:26.54.
Before the break…
Jake Dalton fell on Sky Hooks.
Verdale Benson fell on Doorknob Drop.
And rookie Spencer Clapp hit the buzzer.
During the break…
Riles Nganga twisted his way to a stalemate on Sky Hooks before falling.
Brian Kretsch made it up the Warped Wall on his third attempt.
David Campbell also made it up the Wall and hit the buzzer.
Adam Rayl, 24 year old Concrete Worker
Rayl wraps up the night with quick work on the first half of the course.
Sky Hooks was no issue.
And no competitor made Doorknob Drop look easier.
But could Rayl make it up the MegaWall?
Yes he could!!!
Rayl takes home $10,000, the third competitor to do so this season.
Adam Rayl completes the course in 3:12.46
Top 30 Qualifiers advancing to Los Angeles California City Finals:
- Brian Rambo
- Nicholas Coolridge
- Thomas Kofron
- Josh Levin
- Adam Rayl
- Spencer Clapp
- Sean Bryan
- David Campbell
- Nick Hanson
- Brian Kretsch
Failed at Doorknob Drop
- Kevin Bull
- Jesse Orenshein
- Flip Rodriguez
- Scott Wilson
- Jeremy Rivette
- Davyon Hancox
- Derek Miyamoto
- Anthony Trucks
- Tiana Webberley
- Tylor Schlorf
- Joe Mardovich
- Brock Taylor
- Grant McCartney
- Austin Seibert
- Ruben Arellano
- Gabe Hurtado
- Verdale Benson
- Eric Nelson
- Westley Silvestri
- Brian Neal
Top 5 Women advancing to the Los Angeles California City Finals:
Failed on Doorknob Drop
Failed at Sky Hooks
- Samantha Bush
Next week, Jessie Graff, Drew Dreschel, and a teacher from Parkland, Florida take to the course in Miami. See you then.
Photo Credit: Tyler Golden/NBC | 2018 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
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